The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation in Armenia, Civil Society Institute (CSI) welcome the release of political prisoners in Armenia.

In a statement FIDH and CSI express their hope that the President’s call to investigate the circumstances of March 2008 events will be promptly followed by concrete steps in this regard.

“Our organisations also call to provide the relatives of ten victims of March 1 events the adequate reparation they have been waiting for since 2008,” the statement reads.

The amnesty proposed by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan was approved by the Armenian parliament on May 26, it provides for release of 496 convicts, including opposition activists Sasun Mikaelyan and Nikol Pashinyan convicted in connection with March 1 2008 events.

The Armenian opposition did not recognize official results of the presidential election held on February 19, 2008. Leader of the opposition Levon Ter-Petrosyan organized rallies in the Liberty Square, in the center of Yerevan, which lasted until March 1. Thousands took to the streets demanding that official election results should be canceled. Ten people, including two law enforcers, became victims of confrontation.